Peace...Through Superior Firepower - I always liked that slogan... but never bought the t-shirt. Anyway, just a little something I thought I'd jump onto.
The 2010 Corvette. What a car. I'd love to own one, but don't. Why? I couldn't afford it. Or, at least, I'm not willing to pay what it would cost me.
I saw a beautiful home on 210 acres listed for sale not long ago. I would love to own it, but I don't. Why? The cost was far too high.
Funny thing about such things we wish to have, they often come at too high a price for what we can, or are willing, to pay. Take waging war on America. Throughout our history, some have tried and paid a terrible price for it. Many might hate us enough to want to wage war, but don't. Why? They hate us enough, so why? What is it that stops them?
It strikes me that the slogan, "Peace...through superior firepower", suggests that to have peace, one would have enough firepower that anyone wanting to challenge that peace would pay a very high price for the attempt. The whole Cold War and the Arms Race was built on such a theory. We won that Cold War and Arms Race, because we were able to amass such weapons, that the opposition could not keep up, to do attack us, would lead to their certain demise.
Even crime is the same way. Criminals (with perhaps the exception of "crimes of passion" or someone's spontaneous stupidity), at least go through some calculation of the "cost factor" to them before committing their crimes. If there is little chance of getting caught, and if the "cost" isn't deemed too high, then the criminal just may think it "pays". But if the perceived "cost" is too high, then the likelihood of the criminal to commit it is far reduced. "Crime doesn't pay", would come into play. I think the same can be said for, "War with America doesn't pay".
This all leads me to this point. If every legally permissible citizen was to be armed, every would-be criminal would have a whole lot more to worry about, such as losing his/her life, in their pursuit of mis-justice on their fellow man. Therefore, the "Peace through superior firepower", by virtue of not having an unarmed and easy citizenry to prey upon, could provide for less crime and fewer victims. The "cost" could be death to anyone wanting to victimize people. That's a high price for jewelry, TVs, cash, or what ever. MOST crimes are not worth dying for.
This same thought process (of mine anyway) extends to the world and those who would want us dead. And, also goes for those who wish to stand by and let others cause our demise. If the threat isn't the ultimate price, then their calculation may likely be that it "could be" worth it to do us harm, or stand by and permit others to do so.
Fear is powerful. Fear of dying is the most powerful, and that's why the terrorists use it. We don't. But we should. WHOA...you say. Okay, bare with me.....Here's where all this is leading to - As a powerful and wealthy nation, we need to use both hands in our foreign policies.
In one hand ... we offer help (money, manpower, what ever help we can provide) to those who want it, and are willing work beside us while we're doing it.
In that other hand ... FIREPOWER! With NO limit set on what ever it takes to get a job done. You screw with us, or a very close ally, then we should take all measure to inflict as much damage and pain as we can, and in the shortest time possible. We should instill as much destruction and fear as our "power" can deliver. And, this means to all those who stand by and let our enemies attack us, while letting them use their neighborhoods and cities to attack from and hide in.
Who said, "Walk softly and carry a big stick"? (Teddy Roosevelt?) Well, that should be us today. Not to "rule" any other country, but if someone causes us harm ... ALL means of destruction should befall them.
We ARE the mightiest nation on earth (and we should stay that way Obama!). We need to act like it when it comes to such matters. War is hell. War is ugly. War kills people. If we enter into a war upon a nation of people, we need to make it as ugly as possible, and get it over with as soon as possible. Anyone wanting to do us harm, needs to know, with absolute certainty, that it will cost them dearly. So dearly, that survival is NOT likely. So dearly, that those around them would rather try stopping their neighbor from committing such an act against us, than face what hurt would come by standing by and letting it happen.
This goes for our current actions in Iraq and Afghanistan. If a neighborhood is the launching point of an aggressor's attacks on us, they need to know that their neighborhood will cease to exist. They need to know that life, as they have known it, will no longer be the same. THAT, in MY view, would cause those people who might otherwise sit by and let terrorists use their neighborhoods, to rise up and at least point out those terrorists and let us take the fight only to them. Otherwise, those people who let their homes and neighborhoods be used by the bad guys, will pay dearly.
Like him, or not, President Bush was right to say, "You're either for us, or against us" in the war on terror. Standing by, doing nothing, is just what the terrorists want. That, in my view, aids our enemies, if not directly participating.
Harsh? YES. That's war. We bombed whole cities, just to get at the German military machine, in WWII. Now, we are trying to kill our enemies ... surgically. A nice idea. Very civilized. But WRONG! THIS is war and we are being hampered by our unwillingness do get dirty. The fear the terrorists instill in people, is so much more so, than the fear of what we might do. People fear THEM more than us. That needs to change.
Of late, Obama has stated openly, that he wants to reduce our nuclear weapons, and will NOT use them in some circumstances. I think that taking ANY weapon off the table, is a mistake. Our enemies, and anyone who may toy with becoming one, needs to know the commitment will are willing to make....to WIN any war someone causes us to be in.
And politicians beware - YOU need to be ONE LOUD VOICE in the world, saying this - SCREW WITH US, AND YOU PAY...HEAVILY! You want our help, then we'll do all we can. But screw with us....and God help you.
In our neighborhoods, and around the globe - Peace...Through Superior Firepower!
